How Diseases Like COVID-19 Jump Between Species?

Zoonoses are diseases that spread between animals and humans, but not all illnesses are zoonotic.

Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) explains that zoonoses are infectious diseases that can transfer between animals and humans, including rabies, anthrax, influenza (H1N1 and H5N1), Nipah, brucellosis, tuberculosis, and COVID-19, but not all diseases are zoonotic ().

The department has organized an interactive session chaired by the Secretary of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (AHD) to observe World Zoonoses Day.

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‘ Did You Know?
World Health Organization identifies more than 200 known zoonotic diseases, affecting millions of people globally. #zoonoses #infectiousdiseases #zoonotic ’

The Reality of Zoonotic Diseases

According to the Animal Husbandry Department, understanding which diseases are zoonotic is crucial for effective public health strategies and preventing unnecessary fear and stigmatization of animals.

"Raising awareness aids in early detection, prevention, and control, ultimately protecting public health. Educating the public about the distinction between zoonotic and non-zoonotic diseases helps reduce unwarranted fear and promotes a more informed approach to animal health and safety," said DAHD.

To mitigate the risk of zoonotic diseases, DAHD has launched a nationwide campaign for Brucella vaccination of bovine calves under the National Animal Disease Control Programme and undertaken rabies vaccination under Assistance to States for Control of Animal Diseases.

One Health Approach to Prevent Future Zoonotic Diseases
The adoption of a preventive One Health approach helps minimize the risk of future emergence of known and unknown zoonotic pathogens.

The department said that it is also implementing a comprehensive nationwide surveillance plan for economically important animal diseases.

Additionally, under the One Health approach, the National Joint Outbreak Response Team has been established, comprising experts from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, ICMR, DAHD, ICAR, and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

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India has the largest livestock population, with 536 million livestock and 851 million poultry, which accounts for nearly 11 percent and 18 percent of the global livestock and poultry population, respectively.

India is the world's largest producer of milk and the second-largest producer of eggs. World Zoonoses Day is celebrated in honor of Louis Pasteur, who administered the first successful rabies vaccine, a zoonotic disease, on July 6, 1885.

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Reference:

Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) - (https://dahd.nic.in/about-us/about-department)

Source-IANS